Music-record for use in automatic musical instruments.



1 J. WALKER. MUSIC RECORD FOB USE I N AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1906.

1,012,178; Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

10 .11 l? 15 16 17 119 19 Z0 Z5 50 2.9 28 5 l I l siding at No.

JAMES JGHN WALKER,-OF LONDON, ENG-LAND.

MUSIC-RECORD FOR USE IN AUTOMATIC MUSKGAL INSTRUMENNH! Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dee. 19, 1911.

Original application filed Augustwl, 1905, Serial No. 275,611. Dividedand this application filed Auguet 334, 1966., Serial No. 332.5310.

i0 (lZl'tlF/Wl'll it may concern:

Be it hnowu that I, Janus JOHN WALKER, a ect of the King or GreatBritain, re-

Francis street, Tottenham Court Road, London, England, have invented newand useful Improvements in Music-Records for Use in Automatic Musicalinstruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact d-' 'cri tion of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appcrtains to nitrite and use the same.

According" to the present invention a tune sheet is provided whichcapable, in a properly constructed instrument, of reproducing music inalmost identically the same manner as that in which it Was originallyplayed and with all the fine gradations'and Variations which may havebeen imparted to that original. For this purpose, preferably, two kindsof slots are formeo in the record sheet to represent each note, onebeing reprcscntatirc of the particular hey depressed, and the length oftime which the said hey retained depressed, and the other representativeoi? the speed at which such hey depressed and released and which mightWell be called, as it is hereinafter, an accelerator slot orperforation. in the speci' fication of Letters Patent No. 872267 anappnratus is described suitable for the production of this improvedmusic record, but while the principle of the present im'ention isappreciated. after a perusal of the said prior specification, it. is tobe understood that the record may be produced by hand. or in any othermanner.

The distinguishing feature of this invention is that the two or moreslots above nientioued variably positioned relatively to each oth andnot in constantly the same relation hip to one another, or in one of thetwo definite positions relatively to one another.

In the acconipanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a plan of part of aperforated or slotted. sheet, or band, for contnolling, say, apneuinatically operated reproducing instrument. It may be that in thisand the succeeding figures the various relative positions of the slotsor music control elements have been exaggerated but this has been donein order to enable a clear understanding of-the in vention, as, inpractice, the maximum and minimum variation in said relative positioningwill be such as will suit the speed. of travel of the record in thereproducer and the quickness of action oi the motors, as Will be readilyunderstood. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of portion of an embossedrecord. Fig. 3 shows in perspective, one application the invention to abarrel record. Fig. i is a plan. of a dish record suitable forcontrolling an electrically operated instrument, and 5 is a plan of partof a sheet or band, having perforations or slots for controlling say apneumatically operated organ swell.

The improved record is intended to be used. in reproducing instrumentsin which the power operating the keys or lovers can be augmented at anymoment, as for instance in that class of instrument forming the subjectof application for Letters Patent 5: N. 275611 filed August 24th 1905,from which the present application is a divisional one, and in which twoor more pneumatics or other-motors are arranged in operative connectionwith each key, or lover, of the reproducer action.

The hand or sheet ain Fig. 1 is shown provided with a series ofperforations intended to represent a note which is to be played invarious Ways, by a puciunatic instrument of the type indicated above.The slots in the row marked 1 are the ordinary tune slots and maycontrol. one of the pneuniatics connected with the key of the particularnote represented by the slot. The slots in the row .inarlred II are Whatmay be termed accelerator slots, and these may control the other one oilthe pneuinatics or niiotors connected with the key, as describcd in theaboveaianied application for Patent S. N. 275611. The companion slots Z)and c are seen, in Pig. 1, to be cut abreast of one another, both attheir front and rear ends, they therefore represent a loud note quicklydamped for, as the band travels in the direction ot the arrow, bothmotors or neumatics will be put into action simultaneously, and the keyinthe reproducer being thus caused to rapidly descend, the corrospendingnote will be loudly struck. The slots 7), c, terminating together, theactions of the two motors or. pneumatics will terminate simultaneouslyand the lever is permitted to rise quickly, thereby producing an abrupttermination of the note. The slots (5, e terminate together, but theslot (13 is cut somewhat in advance of the slot e, therefore thecorresponding motor or pneumatic is brought into action upon the key,somewhat in advance of the pneumatic, or motor, controlled by the slot0. The maximum powc" not being applied at once, the resultant iescent ofthe key of the reproducer will be a only a medium speed and the note prLuced will he say a note of average loudnes the abrupt termination ofthe note is age- 1 obtained, however, by the simultaneous ermination ofthe slots. The slot at its ward end is far in advance of the slotg, themaximum power, in this instance, may therefore not be eilectivelyapplied for sounding the note, for, the pneumatic, or motor, controlledby the slot f, may have depressed the lever so fa as to sound the note,or nearly so, before the power is augmented by the slot g, the key istherefore depressed comparatively slowly and the resultant note issoftbut the abrupt termination is obtained in this instance also by therear ends of the slots f and 9 being cut abreast of one another. Theslot 7i commences abreast of the slot j, but terminates somewhat inarrear thereof, therefore the note will be struck loudly but the powerapplied by the slot j. being removed from the key in advance of thatcontrolled by the slot 71, the note ending will not be abrupt but ofthe. ordinary character. The slot Z commences somewhat in arrcar of theslot 7c but terminates somewhat in advance thereof and, as will now bewell understood, such a combination represents a note of the ordinarycharacter. The slot a commences some distance in arrear of the slot mbut terminates slightly in advance thereof, this combination representsa note of ordinary character softly struck. The slots and p commenceabreast of one another but the slot 1) terminates far in advance of theslot 0; the note represented by this combination will therefore beloudly struck, but as the power controlled by the slot 7) is removedfrom the key at an early moment, say at or about the moment at which thenote is sounded and the power controlled by the slot 0 continues to act,the note, although loudly struck will not be abruptly ended. The slot rcom mences slightly in arrear, but terminates some distance in advanceof the slot 9; this combination represents a note, say, of mediumintensity and not abruptly ending. The slot t is seen to be very short,this is owing to the fact that it is required to augment the powercontrolled by the slot 8 very late in the action of the key to produce asoft note, the augn'ientation being quickly removed in order to producethe slow damping effect as before described.

Instead of motors or pncumatics, different sources of pressure may beconnected to a single motor as is well known in the art.

In Fig. 2 a portion of a band or sheet is shown provided with twoembossed or raised portions 21, 1;, which stand in the same relation toone another as the slots is and Z and are therefore suitable for thereproduction of a note of medium strength and of the ordinary character.The erabossed hand may be used to actuate a mechanical controllingmechanism for automatic instruments but it is necessary of course thatsuch instrumei'it be provided with extra levers or devices to beoperated by the various series of accelerator embossments which aresimilarly disposed, with regard to the tune embossments, as the SLOtS inthe row ll, Fig. 1, are to those in the row 1.

Fig. shows the invention applied to a barrel record, the tune staples,or it may be the pegs, of which are arranged in a sum larly variablemanner with regard to one another as the slots in Fig. 1. For instancethe staples w and a are arranged side by side, their front and rear endsbeing opposite one another as is the case with the slots Z) and cFig. 1. The front ends of the staples 7 are opposite one another, butthe staple ;1 extends far in arrear of the staple 2, this arrangementcorresptmds to that of the slots 0, p, Fig. 1. Similarly the staples 1and 2 correspond in their relative positions to the slots 7c and Z, Fig.1, and represent a note of ordinary character and of medium intensity. I

The disk record shown in Fi l may consist of a disk 3 of conductingmaterial coated with a surface of varnish or other insulating material,the record being scratched through the insulating coating to expose theconductor in a well-known manner. The disk 3 turns in the direction ofthe arrow and the marks l in row I, and 5 in row II, are relativelydisposed with regard to one another to produce a soft note in the samemanner as are the slots 8, I", Fig. 1. Also the relative positions ofthe markings 6, 7 are intended to represent a loud note and correspondto those of the slots 0, c, Fig. 1, and tho markings S and 9 torepresent a llUlt' of average intensity and character corresponding tothat produced by the slots is, Z.

The record band seen in Fig. 5 has five rows of slots and is chieflyapplicable for the operation of the heavier levers or conlrpllingdevices such as a swell lever. For instarce supposing each slot ineither of the l'()\\r l to V is capable of controlling" a source ofpowersutlicient for operating the swell lever, to open the swell boxeither partially or completely, slightly in the case of the row I andmore and more in the case of the other rows, the row V providing for thecomplete opening of the said swell box, then the slots 10 to 14represent a more or fret less ordinary manipulation of the swell pedal,commencing slowly and gradually accelerating in speed as the power foroperating the lever is augmented by the successive registrations of theforward ends of the slots 11, .2, l3 and 1- with the tracker, or otherpower-controllingdevice. The slots 15, 16 and 17 may represent a partialopening of the swell at rather slow rate of speed, the forward end ofthe slot 16 commencing some distance in arr-ear of the front end of theslot 15 and the slot 17 in arrear of the slot 1,6, so that, theaugmentation of power being slow, a slow operation of the lever resultsand only part of the available power being employed, as onl three slotsare used out of live, the swell box may not be completely opened. Theslots 18 and 19 are cut with their forward ends abreast of one anotherand they will thus effect the application of say two fifths of theavailable power to the sv'icll lever, which will commence to operaterather quicker than with the preceding example. Some time afterward, saywhen the swell has been half opened, the, slots 20, 21, 22, having theirfront ends cut abreast of one another, bring into operative ellect thetotal amount of power, the result being a quick completion of themovement of the swell lever.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 5. that in each of the threeforegoing examples the rear ends of all the slots in each grouprepresenting an operation of the swell lever, have been cut abreastofone another, thus, in operation. the maximum power is sad denly cut oil,thereby permitting the swell lever to rise quickly and to suddenly closethe swell. box. The slots 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 having their front endsall in the same straight line transversely of the band, the swell leverin this case will be suddenly and perhaps completely opened. The slots25, 26, 2-7 terminate in the same transverse straight line, while theslot 24 terminates some distance in arrear of these slots and the slot23 some distance in arrear of the slot 2 1, thus, after the slots 25,26, 27 have been moved away from the tracker board, the swell. will beallowed to close gradually. In the last example shown in Fig. 5, theslots 28 to 32 have their forward ends cut in the same transversestraight line and in operation the swell lever will be quickly operatedto suddenly and fully opeh the swell, in order, it may be, to give adramatic etlect to a passage of music; after the termination of theslot- 32 the swell lever is gradually allowed to close, as willbe seenand understood from the relative positions of the rear ends of the slots31, 3o, 29 and 28.

It is apparent that this invention is pot restricted to the employmentof any particular number ot'companion slots, but each r mote, orexpression, or swell controlling perforation may be accompanied by anydesired number of accelerator slots, or perforations, the relativepositions of the front and rear ends of which may vary in very manyways, a few of which have been described, in order to give practicallyan exact record oft the manipulation of the arious keys, levers, orcontrolling devices, into the action oi: which speed enters a factormore or important.

This invention enables the records of tune and expression to besin'iultaneously effected by one operation of a recording key or lever,instead of the tune record requiring to be gone through a second timefor the insertion of the expression slots or markings has hithertogenerally been necessary.

I claim, I

1. A music record having principal music control elements of varyinglengths in pa rallel rows each of such elements being representative ofa respective key to be depressed when the record is in operation and thelength of time during which said hey is de pressed; and additional musiccontrol elements also of varying lengths and located in rows parallelwith the first named rows said additional elements being situated atdillerent distances behind respective principal elements in such amanner that every additional element not only accessory to a respectiveprincipal element but the distance of any additional element behind itsrespective principal element is representative of one ofmany speeds ofdepression of the corresponding key lever.

A music record having n'incipal music control elements of varyinglengths in parallel rows each of such elements being representative of arespective key to be depressed when the record is in operation and thelength of time during which said hey is depressed; and additional musiccontrol elements also of varying lengths and located in rows pa 'allclwith the first rows said additional elements having their forward endsat different distances behind the forward ends of the respectiveprincipal elements in such a manner that every additional element is notonly accessory to a respective principal element but each of saiddillerent dis tances is re nesentative of one of many speeds ofdepression of the corresponding hey lever.

3. A music record having principal music control elements of varyinglengths in parallel rows each of such elements being representative of arespective key to be depressed when the record is in operation and thelength of time, during which said hey is depressed: and additional.music co t ol elements a so of varying lengths and located in rowsparallel with the first rows said additional elements having theirforward ends at different distances behind the forward ends ofrespective principal elements in such a. manner that every additionalelement is not only accessory to a respective principal element but eachof said different distances is representative of one of many speeds ofdepression of the corresponding key lever all of said additionalelements moreover having their rear ends in advance of the rear ends ofrespective principal elements.

4-. A music record having principal music control elements of varyinglengths in parallel rows each of such elements being representative ot'a respective key to be depressed when the record in operation and thelength of time during which said hey is depressed; and groups ofadditional music control elen'ients also of varying lengths located inrows parallel with the first named rows every group of additionalelements being accessory to a respective principal element the forwardends of members of any group being a." ditlerent distances behind theforward end of a respective principal element, said distances increasingfrom the first to the last member 01: each group, the rate of suchincrease and the distance of the first additional element behind itsrespective principal element being representative of the speed ofdepression of the corresponding hey lever.

5. A music record having principal music control elements of varyinglengths in parallel rows each of such elements being repre sentative ofa respective key to be depressed when the record is in operation and thelength of time during which said key is depressed; and groups ofadditional music control elements also of varying lengths located inrows parallel with the first named rows every group of additionalelements being accessory to a respective principal element the forwardends of members of any group being at different distances behind theforward end of a respective prineipal element, said distances increasingfrom. the first to the last member of each group, the rate of suchincrease and the distance of the first additional element behind itsrespective principal element being representative of the speed ofdepression of the corresponding key lever the rear ends of members otany group being in advance or the rear end of the respective principalelement.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoWitnesses.

JAIKIES JOHN WALKER.

lVitnesses HENRY HART, A. Nnr'rrxs.

